I wanted to wait a good 24 hours or so before expressing my thoughts, but my opinion remains unchanged – both before, during the game and now, almost 48 hours later. If there was one team out of the three in the title race most likely to drop points, it was always us. Some might interpret this post as overly negative or fueled by frustration, but that's not my intention. I genuinely believe in the strength of this team and acknowledge the great achievements they've made this season. However, it's important to address the shortcomings as well
We appear to be struggling while the other two teams are excelling. The problems we faced at the beginning of the season persist without any noticeable improvement. For instance, we still have a tendency to concede the first goal in approximately 80% of our matches. This issue has plagued us not only this season but throughout the entirety of the previous one as well.
Even when we manage to avoid conceding the first goal, we still struggle to maintain control, allowing the opposition to claw their way back into the game. What's particularly frustrating is that this pattern persists regardless of the quality of the opposing team. Among the three teams contending for the title, we stand out as the ones who make seemingly straightforward matches, such as the one against Sheffield at home, much more challenging than they should be. Is our issue rooted in a lack of finishing or ruthlessness, or is there a problem with our defensive solidity? It's unclear. However, matches that should have been comfortably won with a 2-0 or 3-0 scoreline often end up being tighter affairs, with the winning goal only arriving late in the game.
In my opinion, winning a title hinges more on consistently performing well in matches against teams outside the top six, rather than solely relying on head-to-head clashes with direct competitors. However, it's undeniable that our record against the top six teams has been disappointing. We squandered two points against Chelsea on the opening day when we should have secured a win. Our loss to Arsenal exposed our vulnerabilities and left us looking out of our depth. Although we were unlucky against Spurs, dropping four points against a United side we should have comfortably beaten is concerning. For instance, a victory in the league game at home against United would have placed us two points clear at the top of the table. No need to comment on the away game as we all just witnessed it less than 48 hours ago.
I'm uncertain about the exact problem, but there's a palpable sense that we're more prone to dropping points compared to Arsenal and City. While some might view our upcoming fixtures as manageable, I disagree. Our team lacks the ruthlessness needed to confidently approach challenging matches, such as the derby away to Everton, games against Spurs, Villa, and even West Ham. In contrast, Arsenal seems to effortlessly overpower any opponent, whether playing at home or away. City may appear shaky at times, but their abundance of individual talent often sees them secure comfortable wins with scores like 3-1 or 4-1.
It's possible that Arsenal and City could drop points, particularly given their commitments in the Champions League. However, the reality is that we are just as, if not more, susceptible to dropping points than they are. We'll just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best.
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